The man Alice saw when she opened the door made her gasp. On that unforgettable snowy night three years ago, she met a man who changed her life at the hotel where she took shelter. Alice had been in despair that night. Under normal circumstances, she never would have slept with a man she met in the lobby. After drowning in such richness the like of which she'd never tasted before, she disappeared without a word. She thought they would never meet again... But when they do, he looks down on her with clear disdain!

When Lucinda Oliver first worked for Zane Alexander, she considered him an arrogant, womanizing playboy. But she was just his lowly employee, and he called the shots…. Now Lucinda has built her own successful interior design business and she's shocked to discover her latest client is her former boss! What's more, the assignment involves staying with him at his beautiful hideaway mansion in the exotic Caribbean. Lucinda's determined not to become another notch on his bedpost, but soon she's battling to resist Zane's sizzling brand of dark desire….

Analyzes romantic fiction and its depiction of women within its historical context and as part of the history of ideas about women. This volume discusses such areas as: early years - class and wealth; and the twenties - sex and violence.

This study to analyzes romantic fiction's depiction of women as part of the broader history of ideas about women.; Given the success of the Mills & Boon romance, their portrayal of subjects like sex, love, marriage, class, motherhood and femineity are important cultural barometers and make interesting study.; The author shows how all these themes have an historical trajectory and how these novels have come to reflect feminist concerns.; Based on a study of over 1000 Mills & Boon romances the book provides analysis of plot types and shows how these have changed in response to women's own changing position within society.

As the first encyclopedia solely devoted to the popular romance fiction genre, this resource provides a wealth of information on all aspects of the subject. Romance fiction accounts for a large share of book sales each year, and contrary to popular belief, not all of its readers are women: roughly 16 percent are men. This enormously popular genre continues to captivate people reading for pleasure, and it also commands a growing amount of academic interest. Included are alphabetically arranged reference entries on significant authors along with works, themes, and other topics. The articles are written by scholars, librarians, and industry professionals with a deep knowledge of the genre and so provide a thorough understanding of the subject. An index provides easy access to information within the entries, and bibliographies at the end of each entry, a general bibliography, and a suggested romance reading list allow for further study of the genre.

Lisi works at a real estate company just outside London. Four years ago, she slept with Philip Caprice, whom she secretly admired, and he heartlessly dumped her the very same night. After years apart, Philip suddenly visits Lisi and tries to reconcile with her, which makes no sense given their bitter history. And Lisi has a secret to keep—Philip is the father of her son!

Laura Vivanco's study challenges the idea that Harlequin Mills & Boon romances are merely mass-produced commodities, churned out in accordance with a strict and unchanging formula. She argues that many are well-written, skilfully crafted works, and that some are small masterpieces. For Love and Money demonstrates the variety that exists beneath the covers of Harlequin Mills & Boon romances. They range from paranormal romances to novels resembling chick lit, and many have addressed serious issues, including the plight of post-Second World War refugees, threats to marine mammals, and HIV/AIDS. The genre draws inspiration from Shakespearean comedies and Austen's novels, as well as from other forms of popular culture. "“Laura Vivanco’s 'For Love and Money' is an impressive study of the popular fiction of Harlequin Mills and Boon that is a must read for any student of popular fiction and for those who write and love the genre” —Liz Fielding, author of over 50 Harlequin Mills & Boon romances.“Deep learning, wide reading, and clear thinking are very much in evidence in Vivanco’s exploration of HM&B. A welcome addition to popular romance criticism.” — Professor Pamela Regis, author of 'A Natural History of the Romance Novel'."Laura Vivanco’s analysis of the category romance is both meticulous and inspiring. And while Vivanco limits her examples and discussions to category romances by Harlequin Mills & Boon and the HQN imprint, her application of Frye’s mimetic modes begs for expansion to texts and authors across the genre. This piece of literary criticism should serve as a template for romance scholars to move from defending the genre to discussing its values and complexity as a literary art. — Maryan Wherry, 'Journal of Popular Romance Studies'